The forest was no longer dark.
It was suffocating.
Every heartbeat from Vessel Five shook leaves loose from branches—
a rhythm heavy enough to make the ground tremble beneath their boots.
BOOM.
...BOOM.
......…BOOM.
Arden cursed under his breath.
"He's locked onto us."
Oren nodded sharply.
"Zerrei's energy signature is too distinct.
That Corelink spike during the teleport—he felt it."
Zerrei flinched at the word felt, pressing closer to Lyra's side.
Not hiding.
Grounding.
"…he follow Zerrei because Zerrei… wrong…?" Zerrei whispered.
Lyra shook her head.
"Not wrong. Just different. You're something he can't control."
Zerrei swallowed hard.
"…different…"
"Not bad," she said firmly. "Different is not bad."
His heartglow warmed faintly at her voice—
a gentle shimmer through the cracks of his puppet-frame, steadying.
Arden motioned forward.
"We need distance. Move."
They ran.
Zerrei didn't cling to Lyra anymore—
he ran beside her.
Close.
Near enough to feel safe.
But with his own steps, his own pace.
It was small, but it was growth.
Each step he gained confidence.
Until—
BOOM—!
The ground behind them ruptured as Vessel Five crushed through a line of trees.
A towering shadow emerged—
wrongly-shaped, limbs bending at angles that didn't match bone.
Its single red seam stared through the clearing.
"Vessel Two."
Zerrei's breath hitched.
His heartglow flared.
But this time—he didn't curl into Lyra.
He stepped slightly forward.
Not enough to fight.
Just enough to show he wasn't collapsing.
"…no… stop call Zerrei that…" he murmured.
Lyra glanced at him, surprised.
"That's right," she said quietly. "You have a name."
The creature tilted its head.
"Designation Two.
Return."
Zerrei stiffened.
He shook his head slowly.
"…no… I stay… here…"
Lyra nodded once—solid, steady.
"You stay with us."
Arden lifted his sword.
"Kid's right. He's not going anywhere with you."
Oren whispered:
"He's stabilizing his heartglow on his own…
Amazing…"
BOOM—!!!
Vessel Five took a step—
crushing a tree beneath its foot.
Lyra pulled Zerrei's hand.
"Come on. We're not fighting him like this."
Arden growled.
"Back into the deeper woods."
Oren agreed.
"We can redirect his sightline with misdirection spells. Move!"
They sprinted.
Branches whipped past.
Roots scraped their boots.
Breath fogged the air from the cold shift Vessel Five's presence dragged with it.
Zerrei kept up—
stumbling once, but catching himself.
A big difference from before.
Lyra noticed.
"Good, Zerrei. You're doing great."
His heartglow pulsed softly with pride.
"…Lyra… proud…?"
"Yes," she said without hesitation.
"You're growing."
Oren risked a glance back—
"—AND HE'S STILL BEHIND US! RUN FASTER!"
Arden barked:
"LEFT—NOW!"
They swerved into a thicket.
The trees grew thicker, older, twisted like petrified claws.
It should have slowed Vessel Five—
but he simply tore through them.
BOOM—!
CRASH—!
BOOM—!
Zerrei gasped.
"…why he chase Zerrei only…?"
Lyra kept her grip firm on his wrist—not guiding him, but matching his pace.
"Because you escaped him.
Because you're the only vessel who ever broke free."
He blinked.
"…free…"
Arden shouted from the front:
"Less thinking—MORE RUNNING!"
But Zerrei didn't obey blindly this time.
He tugged Lyra's hand.
"…Lyra… stop…"
She halted immediately.
Arden and Oren nearly stumbled.
"What—?!" Arden snapped. "Kid, this is NOT the time—"
But Zerrei shook his head.
He looked at Lyra.
"…running… only running…
Zerrei… scared forever…"
Lyra's breath caught.
Oren's eyes widened.
Arden froze.
Vessel Five's approach shook branches loose—
But Zerrei didn't hide.
He didn't curl.
He didn't cling.
He stood straight.
Trembling, yes.
But choosing to stand.
"…Zerrei… not fight alone…
but Zerrei… want help.
Not just… be helped."
Lyra placed a steady hand on his back.
"You want to choose for yourself."
He nodded.
"…yes… Zerrei… choose…"
A small smile tugged at her lips.
"That's good."
Oren stepped forward quickly.
"Then let me teach you something.
FAST."
Zerrei blinked.
"…teach…?"
Oren touched the glowing crack on Zerrei's arm.
"Your heartglow reacts to fear.
But it also responds to intention."
He tapped Zerrei's chest lightly.
"Tell it what you want."
Zerrei stiffened.
"…want…?"
Lyra lowered her voice.
"What do you want, Zerrei?"
He swallowed.
Looked scared.
Then breathed out:
"…Zerrei… want protect Lyra.
Want protect Arden, Oren.
Want… be strong."
Something in his chest flickered.
Soft.
Warm.
Focused.
Not desperate.
Not panicked.
Intentional.
Oren yelled:
"YES—THAT—HOLD ONTO THAT!"
The ground shook—
Vessel Five stepped into view.
Enormous.
Silent.
Watching.
Zerrei didn't collapse.
He didn't hide.
He stood—
Behind Lyra, beside Arden, in front of Oren—
part of them.
Vessel Five spoke—
"You cannot resist your designation."
Zerrei's heartglow surged—
stronger than ever.
"…Zerrei… not designation…"
Arden raised his sword.
Lyra lifted her dagger.
Oren readied his staff.
Zerrei clenched his fists—
and said the words with trembling strength:
"…Zerrei… is Zerrei."
His heartglow burst outward in a soft wave.
Not enough to attack.
But enough to push back the fear.
To hold his ground.
To show Vessel Five something new:
A puppet who refused to kneel.